fakeroot ☆

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Description:
Provide a fake root environment

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 1.37.1.2@1 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: sandbox privilege-simulation packaging build-tools system-utilities

Install: brew install fakeroot

About:
Fakeroot provides a controlled environment where applications can run with simulated root privileges without actual system access. It intercepts file system calls to fake ownership and permissions, enabling safe package building and testing. This tool is essential for creating software distributions that require root-like file operations.

Key Features:

Simulates root privileges for file operations without real root access
Maintains separate database of file ownership and permissions
Compatible with various build systems and package managers
Supports both Linux and macOS environments

Use Cases:

Building Debian packages without running as root
Testing installation scripts in a safe environment
Creating software distributions with correct file permissions
CI/CD pipelines requiring simulated root operations

Alternatives:

chroot – Provides actual filesystem isolation but requires more setup and real privileges
namespaces – Modern kernel-level isolation with better security but more complexity

License: GPL-3.0-or-later

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 11, 2025 10:24am		1	VERSION_BUMP	cca0e176
Dec 21, 2024 11:38pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	090a20d9